Who's Goten?
by JackieTheWriter
Summary: This fanfic takes place after GT and revolves around Goten and defining who he is. It focuses on his relationships with his father, his mother, Gohan, Bulla, Trunks, etc. R&R, please.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Wow, it has been a long time since I've written/published a fan fiction. I'm pretty positive I've screwed up Namek...Namekians? Is that right? Haha, anyway....I was recently going through the entire series of DBZ and now I'm onto DBGT. It's been truly too long since I first watched the show on cartoon network back when I was maybe 12?

Anywho, I really hope you guys enjoy this new story I've written. I'll try to be sure to remember to upload a new chapter every few days...but it'll be so hard to resist. It is not completed yet, I have written to about chapter 4, but have the rest of the story completely plotted out already. Not sure how far I want to take it yet though. I suppose it depends on wether people even WANT to read more....read and review, please. Thanks so much, guys, and I can't wait to hear what y'all think!

CHAPTER 1

Goku was always off doing something completely random in the eyes of his family and friends. But they all just kind of went along with it because well, he was Goku and that's just how it's always been.

What was he doing now? Goku was off on the planet Namek training some of the younglings how to fight. Since their debacle with Freiza so many years ago, fighting has become a new sport the Namekians have undertaken. Still a peaceful people, they didn't try to get too powerful, just a little sparring here and there.

Meanwhile, back on Earth…

"Bulla, get out of my office! I don't have time to help you with your little boy issues, and frankly, I really don't want to know. You're too young for that nonsense," Trunks spoke behind a mountain of paperwork.

Bulla sighed and crossed her arms, standing in front of his desk. She glanced out of the window of her family's home for a moment. The window framed the perfect view of the property's backyard. Bulla quietly approached the window to get an even better look out. Trunks barely seemed to notice that she was still in the room as he flipped through files and packets with the Capsule Corp logo all over them.

From the window, Bulla could see Vegeta sitting at a small garden table of white painted wrought iron. Her mother seemed to be trying to tell him something about cutting grass, at least, that's what Bulla figured from Bulma's violent gestures toward the grass and apparent yelling in the direction of her father. She smirked at the scene because it was a perfect snapshot of her parents. Bulma could do all the yelling she wanted and Vegeta could easily ignore her. And so they seemed to be happy with that arrangement. On the other side of the yard, a good distance from her parents, Bulla could see Goten doing what he does best – chatting on the phone with some girl. Ah-ha!

"Trunks, why is Goten in our backyard?"

"Who knows, I mean, it is- Oh, wait. Did I tell him to wait for me outside? That must have been hours ago. Hm, Bulla, could you go entertain him for just a few more minutes? I'll be down soon, I promise!"

Trunks looked up from his papers after he didn't hear a response in a timely manner, but his sister had vanished.

"No, Alyssa, I don't think you're fat…well, Oscar is a jerk…why do you care about what Oscar thinks anyway? What?! I thought you were going out with ME Saturday night….what do you mean you want to keep your options open…yeah, well, I've gotta go, Ashley's on the other line…what do you care if Ashley's talking to me…Sorry, babe, I just wanna keep my options open too, I guess," Goten held the phone out from his ear with a very disgruntled look on his face.

Bulla peeked out from around a hedge, hearing the entire ordeal and now wondering if this was the time to ask for Goten's advice.

"Oh, hey, Bulla," Goten said without looking up from his phone.

Bulla raised an open palm and smiled as cheerfully as possible, "Hey, Goten! Trunks said to come entertain you for a few more minutes!"

Goten finally looked up from his phone, seeming to snap back into reality, and gave Bulla a real smile, "That's fine. You don't have to entertain me, I think I keep myself rather a little too busy."

He took a seat on a bench against the hedge and took a deep breath. Bulla sat down next to him, watching his face as he closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled. She liked to watch Goten. He was such a curiosity sometimes. Goku made sense in a weird way, ChiChi's way of life was understandable, and Gohan was, well, the professor, but Goten was different. He always seemed caught between three different worlds. He had his father's enthusiasm for life and loving, he had his mother's caring and worrying nature, and he looked up to his brother so much still. Yet, it seemed like he was always kind of lost in these worlds.

Most people have something that identifies them, and so far, Goten has assumed a ladies' man identity. Bulla was sure that this was something that Goten was starting to question himself.

"Goten, can you give me some advice, like, about guys?"

Goten opened his eyes and turned his head toward her, "Shoot."

Bulla smiled, Goten's face always made her smile. It was just so goofy looking, in a sweet kind of way.

"Well," she started, "there's this guy, Brett. And he used to date my friend Jenna, but about a month ago they broke up. Now Brett wants to be with me and Jenna is all mad at me and now she's telling people all sorts of stuff about me that isn't true! I mean, most of it anyway."

Goten blinked really hard, staring at the ground.

"You okay?"

Goten looked up at Bulla again, "Oh, yeah. Um, wow, so Brett…do YOU want to date him?"

Bulla leaned back against the bench, "Well, I don't know. I mean, I usually let a guy take me out at least once if he's interested."

"Bulla, that's…you shouldn't do that."

Bulla looked at Goten very confused. Suddenly, her eyes opened wide as she realized what he thought.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Goten, that's so not what I meant! I mean an innocent date!"

Goten suddenly looked very uncomfortable talking about this sort of thing with Bulla.

Bulla reached out and grabbed his hand to try to keep his attention.

"Listen, I know what people say. I know what you assume. I'm not mad. I'm 18 years old, I'm a big girl. I can talk about sex and all, Goten. So stop being so embarrassed. Should I set the record straight?"

Goten was obviously very uncomfortable. Bulla could tell because he was started to rub his palms on his jeans and sweat was forming on his forehead. His mouth was kind of switching between a smile and a scolding looking. He couldn't even seem to look her in the eye. His mouth started to try to form a response, but Bulla interrupted him.

"I've had sex before, Goten," she scooted closer to him, "but it was only one guy. I was sixteen. I like to go out on dates, it's fun. Might as well use the youth card while I still can, ya know. Do I plan on 'messing around' with a bunch of guys? No way, man! I have my respect, okay? And to be honest, no, I don't want to get into anything with Brett. I'm just bored with these guys my age, Goten."

Goten gulped. Bulla was way too close for comfort. Her face only inches from his own terrified, frozen face.

"Goten, you're like, what, 27? 28? 29? I'm sure you're done with these stupid little hussies…" Bulla leaned in even closer to him.

He sat there frozen, eyes wide open.

"Can I help you?" Trunks interrupted.

Goten nearly fell off the bench. The look on his face seemed more relieved than frightened of Trunks. Bulla wasn't so relieved. She wasn't sure what she had just done. Honestly, she never acts that way. Why did she just try to freak out her brother's best friend? Bulla got up and marched away from the two and back into the house.

Trunks raised an eyebrow at Goten.

Bulla plopped down on her bed and grabbed her smallest, but fluffiest pillow, holding it tight against her chest. What was she doing? She realized how bored she was. She didn't really care anymore about people like Jenna or Brett. She was serious about being bored. But what was she doing scaring the living hell out of Goten? Oh great, what if she was at the start of one of those downward spirals into craziness. Why is she going through all the stupid emotional insecurities of a pre-teen now? She needed a change. Step one, new clothes.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Every Friday night, Goten and Trunks went out to their favorite restaurant to catch up on what's going on, Trunks' new business ventures, and Goten's newest job from the temp agency. Afterwards they usually went to a bar and had a few drinks, maybe mingle with some ladies, a true guys night. This night ended a little strangely though.

Goten waited in the living room of Capsule Corp for Trunks. He wore a purple button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a black tie on, with matching black slacks. He came straight from his new temp job as a secretary at a law firm. The television was on and Goten was half focused on the fruity juice commercial and half focused on his perspiring forehead. Was he coming down with a cold? Great, he knew his mother would somehow find out and then worry all over him for days, maybe even weeks.

Goten could hear someone coming down the stairs. He stood up to wait for Trunks, but what he saw was definitely not his best friend. It was Bulla, but she was dressed way down, like, unusually down. Not in a bad way, though. Usually Goten saw Bulla in her skimpy little dresses, shirts, shorts, or skirts, but tonight she was wearing jeans and a tee shirt with her hair in a pony tail. And for the first time, Goten looked at her as more than just some little teenager, she looked beautiful. She looked more mature and sure of herself without having to flaunt her curves. If he was completely honest with himself, she was damn attractive. This was all in an objective view, of course.

She noticed him, "Oh, hey, Goten. I've been wanting to talk to you actually, if you have a sec."

"Uh, sure, yeah," Goten sat back down on the sofa as Bulla joined him. This time, she kept her distance. It had been about month since they last spoke in the yard.

Bulla turned toward him, "Listen, I'm really sorry about what happened last time we talked. I've been…"

"…growing up, " Goten smirked at her as if it were ridiculous that she would have to apologize.

Bulla smiled at him, "I know you don't think I have to apologize. I want to, though. You're important to me, Goten. I don't care about what other people think. At first, I thought I was just bored with my friends and all, but it's not that. I've just been confused about who I am. You always make me think about that. You're such a mixture of your parents and your older brother, but your own identity seems lost sometimes. I'm not trying to insult you. I like that you're a little mysterious and maybe you are just as confused as I am, but you're happy with who you are. I want that. You inspire that in me."

Goten was silent, looking down at the floor or maybe the coffee table leg.

Bulla continued, watching him out of the corner of her eye, "Maybe this tee shirt wearing girl isn't me. Maybe I'm supposed to wear those hott little tops and skirts, but I want to try something new. Goten, I like you. I mean, I'm sure that's pretty clear seeing as that we've always known each other and all, but I feel like you should know how I feel."

Bulla waited a few moments. Goten didn't respond. She was actually kind of annoyed now. He could say something, anything. She glanced up at him. He was breathing heavily, sweat running down his face.

"…Goten?" Bulla leaned toward him and put her arm on his upper arm.

He still didn't look at her.

Bulla stood up and starting to walk towards the kitchen where she knew her father was, "Wait here! I'm going to get help!"

Goten stood up to stop her and fell onto the coffee table. The legs of the table gave-way and it shattered into pieces on the floor under him. Bulla spun around and shrieked. Trunks came running down the stairs, still tying his tie around his neck when he saw the scene. Vegeta poked a curious head in from the kitchen. And there Goten was, lying on top of broken wood, passed out, but breathing very hard.


End file.
